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‘Brexit made EU27 more determined that the Union is our common future … will work with India as strategic partners’

Donald Franciszek Tusk, President of the European Council, is currently in India, for a three-day visit, along with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, for the EU-India summit 2017 today to mark the 55th anniversary since the establishment of EU-India diplomatic relations. The European Union as a bloc of 28 countries is India’s largest regional trading partner while India is the EU’s ninth largest trading partner. Tusk spoke to Indrani Bagchi about his expectations from the India-EU summit, India-EU ties post-Brexit and the challenges for EU-India relations:

What do you expect to achieve during the 2017 India-EU summit?

Our ultimate goal is to have a strong strategic partnership between India and the European Union. That means enhancing both our geo-strategic relations and economic cooperation. EU wants to help ensure India’s success in its drive to modernise and rise to prosperity. Equally, we need India as a true global partner in so many areas: from security to climate change to trade.

In a world where division is increasing, India and EU need to focus on what we have in common. We both stand for freedom, democracy and a credible rules-based global order. We hope to build a strong strategic partnership and friendship on this good foundation. Issue by issue, we will get there.

India and EU have been meeting for years but there seems to be little progress in relations. How do you propose to energise this relationship?

Mahatma Gandhi once said that the future depends on what you do today, right now. The ‘right now’ of the EU-India strategic partnership is about seizing the opportunities for concrete cooperation. I would like to flag three areas on which we will engage further at the summit – climate change, counterterrorism and urbanisation.

On climate change, we want India and the EU to take the lead on implementing the Paris Agreement. On counterterrorism, we have a common interest in working together for the safety of our citizens. On urbanisation, we intend to link the EU’s Urban Agenda with India’s ‘100 Smart Cities Mission’ including direct investment in infrastructure via the European Investment Bank. EIB has already invested in the Lucknow metro project, and is going to support the Bengaluru metro phase-2.

Progress in the EU-India relationship is not just about EU-India trade agreement negotiations, our partnership is much broader. We adopted at our summit last year an ambitious agenda for practical joint action on everything from the rejuvenation of Ganga to cooperation on education matters up to 2020. Both sides need to keep working closely together on all these things, and continue to engage closely at the G20 and UN.

There was expectation that Indian and EU trade negotiators would restart talks from July. But nothing seems to have moved. What’s holding things up?

EU remains committed to an ambitious and comprehensive trade agreement with India which should be mutually beneficial and acceptable to our respective constituencies. As trade contributes to creating wealth and jobs, EU will keep markets open, fight protectionism and actively promote an ambitious free and fair global trade agenda.

How will India-EU ties be affected post Brexit?

Paradoxically, Brexit has made EU27 more determined that the Union is our common future and will only strengthen our determination to speak with one voice and reap the benefits of world markets and global cooperation. As two of the world’s largest democracies, with global responsibilities, we will continue to work with India as strategic partners, and even more intensely on climate change, security, conflict prevention and migration. EU’s external action and responsibilities will not be affected before, during or after the departure of UK.

Our economies are highly interdependent and we face common challenges. EU is the biggest open market, the world’s second largest economy, the first trading partner for 80 countries, including India, and the first recipient and source of foreign direct investment. This will not change after Brexit.

What are the new areas that India and Europe can explore?

There are so many. Whether we talk about our shared digital ambitions, space exploration, peacekeeping in Africa and elsewhere, maritime security, or the challenges of global migration – these are lots of areas on which India and Europe are natural partners.

We can also further develop people to people contacts. EU’s Erasmus+ programme, the world’s greatest mobility programme for students and youth, has just celebrated its 5000th Indian alumnus. India has been the number one beneficiary of Erasmus+. On the 30th anniversary of the programme’s establishment, I am delighted to encourage Indian students and youth to find out more about Erasmus+ and perhaps visit Europe to experience all it has to offer.